Masterful Movie

The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

The best part of California is the costume design. Edith Head went all out in draping Barbara Stanwyck with breathtakingly beautiful gowns. Every time she came on the screen, I gasped and exclaimed, "Look at that one!" Fashion aficionados will want to rent this one, or at least look at still pictures. But what's the actual movie about? Ray Milland, also known as a poor man's James Stewart, stars as a wagon train leader across the vast Midwest to California. When Barbara Stanwyck is literally cast out into the street by her town, implying suspected or confirmed prostitution, Ray goes against his better judgement and lets her join the group going west. For some reason, Barbara falls for Ray even though he's not very nice to her and even slaps her after she tells him he's not going to "get what he wants". Sprinkled into the plot is the goldrush craze, as well as political disagreements about impending statehood, but-no offense to rival politicians Barry Fitzgerald and George Coulouris-that's part of the plot isn't nearly as interesting as Barbara's clothing. Keep an eye out for Anthony Quinn in a very, very small part. Basically, he just dances with Barbara Stanwyck and then gets drunk with Ray Mi-bland. Unfortunately, even though his dance costume is very tight and shows off his best assets, he's not on screen for very long. Just think in six short years, Anthony Quinn and Barbara Stanwyck would be reunited on the screen, this time playing husband and wife in Blowing Wild.I'm really not a Ray Mi-bland fan, so even though I love Barbara Stanwyck, I didn't really like this movie. There's a pretty cute song in the beginning, "California or Bust", but the rest of the movie feels like a subpar western. It won't hurt you, though, if you want to give it a try.

At first, it's a "How the West Was Won" journey of settlers heading to California (with a banjo on their knee), then it's about the gold rush. then a gambling hall, and finally a political squabble over statehood and impending civil war. And as much as it looks like a Cecil B. DeMille epic, it isn't, directed instead by John Farrow.But, oh, what a pleasure it is to look at, starting off with a travelogue like prologue with an E.Y. Harburg song. Barbara Stanwyck makes her entrance being tossed out of town by the proper ladies and gentlemen and reluctantly being picked up by the wagon train lead by Ray Milland. He doesn't want her on it, but feisty Barry Fitzgerald sympathizes with her and takes her along in his wagon. Then, news of gold breaks, everybody scrams, and Milland and Fitzgerald are left to themselves, surrounded by the junk yard of the journeyer's furniture left behind, the west coast's first garbage dump.It continues with an obviously dubbed Stanwyck singing a song in a gambling hall she's purchased, getting involved with ruthless Albert Dekker and alternately insulting and defending Milland while secretly supporting Fitzgerald for senator, Dekker's rival. It's the last segment that's the most interesting, a fictionalized vision of early California before swimming pools and movie stars, not to mention ski resorts, Hollywood signs, freeways and governators.Stanwyck gets to wear some bewitching gowns by Edith Head and is alternately tough, tender and tempestuous. Wasted in a tiny role, Anthony Quinn is nevertheless handsome in his brief dance with Stanwyck, historically important to see two legendary stars together. They would share more scenes in 1953's melodramatic "Blowing Wild". Milland is grizzled enough to take away the image of him in tailored suits from past movies (even though the same year he got his ear pierced by Marlene Dietrich in "Golden Earings") while Fitzgerald gives a performance filled with wisdom, heart, and humor.Colorfully filmed, this is still an interesting account of the settling of a land once wild, now overcrowded, yet still filled with beauty where cities have not yet risen.

The beginning of this film a glorification of California through music and some beautiful views in color. From then on it is a routine big budget western where only Barbara Stanwyck stands out as a woman with a strong character that uses her power of seduction. Ray Milland as Trumbo, a man who deserted (for noble reasons) is the hero and Barry Fitzgerald is Fabian, a good hearted man that becomes a politician to help Trumbo. Anthony Quinn has a very small role as Don Luis Rivera y Hernandez. The action scenes are very good, but they are not enough to prevent this western from being average. You can find the same director John Farrow and Ray Milland in a much better western, Copper Canyon (1950).

A film that starts out as camp as this – apple-pie and syrup homilies to the great state voiced over saturated colour shots of its natural landmarks – can only get better, and thankfully it does. Despite the improvement California never really reaches the big budget quality heights to which it aspires though. The colour looks good, and some of the cinematography is terrific, and John Farrow's direction is as reliable as it always was, but the plot is a little stale to say the least.Ray Milland struggles to convince in a role more suited to the likes of Robert Taylor, but he gives it his best shot and is merely unmemorable rather than annoying in the role of principled cavalry deserter and wagon leader Jonathan Trumbo, who spends most of the film fighting his desire for saloon girl Lily Bishop (Barbara Stanwyck, opposite whom Milland seems to become invisible every time they share a scene) before inevitably melting into her arms in the final scene. This being a colour film, Lily often wears red, just to let us know the colour of her past and the passions lurking beneath her frosty exterior. If George Coulouris were half as colourful as his character's name – Pharaoh Coffin – an ex-slave trader intent on making California his own little kingdom, instead of an oddly insipid nonentity he might have provided a little more zip to the proceedings, but most of the bad guy antics are left to the ever-reliable Albert Dekker. The film also features a young Anthony Quinn, impossibly handsome in a latino way, who sadly has little to do other than dance, get drunk and die. Barry Fitgerald rounds out the cast as Fabian, a wine grower on Trumbo's wagon trail who allows himself to be talked into running for governor of California so that Johnny can hammer a nail into Pharaoh's, ahem, coffin.This is old-style major studio entertainment so you pretty much know what you're going to get. Good, solid production values, some not insubstantial star power – and a story that is almost as lightweight as tiny Mr. Fitzgerald.